MMORPG: The Elementalist

Qin Ruo’s cold words slashed across the thin air and straight into Netherclaw’s ears, sending a tremor into Netherclaw’s heart. Even though everyone knew that the “Winter Demon” was a proud and fearless fighter, they did not expect to see him provoking Netherclaw, Snowmelt and Dark Dragon in front of the Netherspirit’s Claw’s champions. It had been rather bold of him to do so!

“What a bastard…”

Right after Qin Ruo finished his words, every Netherspirit’s Claw’ players in the scene, including Netherclaw, felt a bout of anxiety and absurdity from this man.

This was the very first time Netherclaw felt that he had stepped into a danger zone. Looking at Qin Ruo, Netherclaw could not help but feel regret for not devising a more cautious plan. Qin Ruo’s return had wrecked his plan entirely for he thought the Fallen Angels had lost its ability to compete with him to contest for the top League in the Angel Faction. Now that he was back, these clans had grown to become his biggest rival. The morale of Fallen Angels had now soared to the roof. Working together with Bauhinia and Violent Army Clan, they had acquired enough strength to compete with his Netherspirit’s Claw League.

To make things worse, Qin Ruo was utterly calm when facing him. Yet, a surge of pressure was flowing out of him. This was something Netherclaw was worried about…

Usually, Netherclaw was not scared of any player who was calm—like Scarlet Bauhinia. A calm level-headed person like Scarlet Bauhinia was usually well calculated in protecting and guarding his own well-being instead of defeating someone else. So, Netherclaw never found people who were “calm” and “level-headed” a threat.

As for the people who were impulsive, they would usually screw up a lot of things before they were able to achieve anything. Therefore, people like these were also not a threat to Netherclaw.

However, Qin Ruo was different.

Qin Ruo acted like an impulsive brute sometimes but there were also other moments you would see him strategizing in a calm manner. Netherclaw was not able to predict what he would do next—like playing chess with an enigmatic opponent.

The last time they met at Galbis’ Lair, Netherclaw was preparing to kill-steal his prey at the time. Yet, Qin Ruo was able to fend him off with pure strength and skills. When Netherclaw was retreating from the Lair, Qin Ruo then humiliated him by dragging him to the ground using Gravity Field.

Then, there was the other time when Qin Ruo faced Chameleon and Ron in the Buried City. It was then that he was able to slay one of them while forcing the other to flee. Other than that, that battle at Savis Town was probably Qin Ruo’s work too… Or perhaps, he had already returned to the Mythical Continent on that very day!

The three clans were able to pull off such a huge operation in Death Valley was definitely not due to the appearance of Netherspirit Menace.

Netherclaw was able to see just what kind of a person Qin Ruo was by looking at his actions in the past.

This man was ambitious! Every move he took always put him in the center of the world!

Qin Ruo was the kind of man who would not pull his punches when facing his enemies. Even if he did not kill his enemy, Qin Ruo would make sure to destroy him—to ruin his enemy’s reputation, fame, and self-esteem to the point of no return.

Netherclaw felt a chill crawl down his spine as this thought flashed through his mind.

However, he was the Clan Leader of Netherspirit’s Claw. Even though Qin Ruo was showing immense hostility at the moment, Netherclaw ought not to allow himself to be intimidated. The name of Netherspirit’s Claw must never be tainted, even if this would cost him and his fellow brethren their lives.

“Snowmelt! Dark Dragon! Cover me.”

“Everyone! Break through!”

Netherclaw quietly sent out orders to his men as he could not allow losing the opportunity for a pre-emptive strike. As they received their orders, the members of Netherspirit’s Claw suddenly burst into action!

Two dozen players spread out their wings as they zoomed deeper into the valley… Snowmelt and Dark Dragon stayed still on the ground, facing the many hundreds of champions from the three clans. They then each flung out a Magic Scroll and stayed on valiant guard.

“Oh, you want to fly?” Black Rock let out a wry smile and gave chase. “Now I’ll need you all to drop down to the ground!”

Then, a huge wave of pressure could be felt in the air, spreading across a hundred diameters around Black Rock.

Gravity Field!

“Ahhh!”

“Fuck!!!”

Even though the men from Netherspirit’s Claw did know about this skill; it had, after all, ruined the Order of the Eight Gods and Holy Clan the other day, and after facing the unnerving pressure from Qin Ruo, they had all forgotten about this skill. As screams echoed through the valley, the players from Netherspirit’s Claw had all dropped down like birds who lost their wings.

Luckily, they only rose a few meters to the sky. If they went higher, many of them would have dropped dead especially the Bandits and Bowmasters that had low HP reserves.

As chaos ensued within the Netherspirit’s Claw’s team, Qin Ruo, Homme Fatale, and Black Rock dashed towards Snowmelt and Dark Dragon! It was a fight between Champions!

In the meantime, the ten guards that were guarding the entrance of the Death Valley had received backup from ten more Winged Champions, blocking the entrances entirely. The Fallen Angels’ “Pre-cursor” League was determined to keep Netherspirit’s Claw trapped in the valley.

Indeed, with these guards’ current strength they were still not strong enough to stop Netherclaw’s elite group. However, they had a geographical advantage over them and so long as they utilized this advantage, they should be able to provide a blockade to prevent Netherspirit’s Claw from leaving. And they had enough people to form two layers of blockades too.

***

“Homme Fatale, Black Rock! You two handle Snowmelt. I’ll be back in half a minute, after I defeat Dark Dragon.” Qin Ruo loudly spoke to Homme Fatale and Black Rock as he flew toward Dark Dragon.

“Okay!”

Black Rock and Homme Fatale answered happily. As for their two winged opponents, they were furious at Qin Ruo’s “half a minute”. Especially Dark Dragon—his eyes turned red as he clenched his Magic Scroll tightly.

“You insolent brat!” After barking out angrily, Dark Dragon activated the Magic Scroll in his hand.

“Chaotic Hurricane!”

“Gravity Dimension!”

Black Rock’s magic was cast almost the same time as Dark Dragon’s…

A strong gravitational force had squashed Dark Dragon’s hurricane into nothingness, leaving cuts and holes on the valley walls.

“Back off!”

Dark Dragon hurled another magic attack as he turned and fled with Snowmelt!

If it was a skirmish, they were not afraid. However, they were now facing off both Qin Ruo and Homme Fatale—two powerful players, clad in full sets of legendary gear. They would not stand a chance facing foes like these.

However, as the members of the three clans backed away, they felt more at ease. Snowmelt and Dark Dragon were hoping to join forces with Netherclaw so that they would have enough strength to push their way out of the valley. If that were to happen, it would be difficult for Qin Ruo and Homme Fatale to give chase to these Winged Champions in the wild.

Yet, in that instant, Black Rock and Homme Fatale suddenly disappeared under everyone’s noses. Then…

Blink Strike!

Shrink Teleportation!

Black Rock and Homme Fatale, without the aid of Elemental Perception, successfully landed their sneak attack, when a huge black fog crept over to the two fleeing champions and blinded them from viewing Netherclaw’s location. It was the attack of a Two-headed Poisonscorp!

Growwl!!!

Six Cyclopses appeared behind Snowmelt and Dark Dragon…

Swoosh wooosh woosh!!

Twelve huge axes swirled towards Snowmelt…

Meanwhile, there were also three Earthdragon Strikes which broke out from a valley wall and those were headed straight at Snowmelt too!

Black Rock’s attack was relentless and merciless.

The Two-headed Poisonscorp would first stop them from advancing. Then, twelve physical long-ranged attacks, the ones that could gravely wound an Elementalist, were hurled at Snowmelt from behind. At the same time, there were also Earth Magic Attacks attacking from the side. This new skill, called Earthdragon Strike that Black Rock acquired from Galbis was almost as strong as the Lycan Barrages.

Qin Ruo felt that if their roles were to be switched, even he himself would probably not survive these attacks.

Still, Snowmelt was experienced in combat. After the attacks were hurled at him, a beam of golden light suddenly blasted through the air as a surge of Mana rushed through his body. The huge golden light then turned into a six-meter tall monstrous figure when it then parried away the axes that were swirling towards Snowmelt. Then, the giant grabbed two Earth Dragons with its bare hands and…

Roaarrr!!!

In a deafening roar, the Earth Dragons were snapped to pieces in the giant’s hands. Before the other Earth Dragon could reach its prey, it was pinned to the ground by a huge Stone Spike.

Black Rock was in shock as he saw the giant.

‘This is… an Earth-type Ultimate Boss?’

All the physical attacks were not effective against the giant at all. The same was the same for the Earthdragon Strikes… Was Snowmelt’s pet an Earth-type Ultimate Boss?!

All of a sudden, a loud shriek was heard from the skies. Before the giant was able to react, a giant white rock flashed down from the sky and clawed a huge hole into the giant’s body. In an instant, white frost started to gush out from the wound the rock had created, and spread across the giant’s entire body!

Before Snowmelt could do anything, a huge flood of Mana gushed through the air!

Booooom!!!!

A series of thunderous explosions erupted in the giant’s body. Then, powerful electric charges zapped from its leg to the knee… and then up onto its torso… all the way to the head!

“Homme Fatale!!!”

Snowmelt roared with a blazing fury from the bottom of his heart!

In mere seconds, the huge giant was crushed into millions of pieces. As the pieces of the giant’s corpse were collapsing to the ground, an Electromancer was revealed from behind the collapsing giant’s doomed figure, grasping a violet zapping-electric ball in his hand.

As though defeating the Ultimate-Boss-Pet was all but child’s play, the as calm as ever Homme Fatale let the violet electric viciously crackle in his hands, ignoring the furious Snowmelt. He did not even lay his eyes on him as Homme Fatale could grasp the situation of the battlefield through his Elemental Perception. Snowmelt was not worth the effort to be laid eyes upon.

Besides, Snowmelt was merely responding instinctively—it was a self-defensive retaliation against Black Rock’s attack, not an active assault. That was how he could instantaneously destroy Snowmelt’s pet.

Having lost his pet, it would be as though Snowmelt had lost an arm. Without the aid of his pet, his chance of survival in this fight was gravely reduced. He had to flee or death was imminent!

And thus, the instant his pet was defeated. Snowmelt and Dark Dragon fled away, vanishing from everyone’s view.

As Homme Fatale gave chase, he zipped pass Qin Ruo and Black Rock like a bolt of lightning! And in an instant, Qin Ruo could hear Homme Fatale’s soft whisper in his ear.

“You still have twenty-five seconds.”